5 Ways to Promote your Business for Free

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Member

1.Classified Ads : There are plenty of classified ad directories on the internet where you can post ads for free, two such sites being Gumtree and Vivastreet.

2. Send out press releases : Many small businesses consider the prospect of getting press coverage unattainable. However, a good story submitted well has every chance of making the news, and best of all it’s free.

3. Start a blog : Starting a blog is an excellent way of engaging your existing audience as well as attracting new customers. However, blogs do take time and patience so only start one if you have the time to put into it.

4. Participate in relevant forums : Online forums are used and viewed by hundreds of people, and there’s almost always likely to be a couple of forums based around your industry. Participate in these forums through making relevant posts – many forums allow you to include a link to your company in your signature.

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Member

1. Free Classifieds: If you have the time to post you ads on classified sites , then this is a good place for you to start. Placing classified ads does work, but this method of advertising will take some time before you will start to see results. You will need to continually submit your ad to these sites , so your ad will stay near the top of the pages of these sites. Not everyone will get the same results with free classified advertising. The results I may get, may not be the same as the type of results you may get. It will depend on your ad title , how long your ad has been running, and what type of ad you are using.

Simply search the web for free advertising sites. The list will be long, you will need to find sites that will work for you. Free classifieds take a lot of time, and effort. Results will show, but you will need to work at it hard, and on a regular basis.

3. Writing articles: Writing articles for distrubution in other ezines, newsletters, etc. is a great FREE method for sending traffic to your site. This gives you the opportunity to write about something you know, and will give you free advertising in your resource box. Lots of people are looking for new content for their ezines, or newsletters, so getting published will provide free advertising.

4. Include your URL on everything, like business cards, stationary ,etc. This is also a good source for promotion of your business. Some good places to leave your business cards are: local stores, banks, restraurants ,etc.

5. Flyers: Print out some flyers advertising your business. Post these flyers at shopping centers, grocery stores, laundromats, local colleges, apartment complexes, car window, etc. There are so many places where you can put flyers, you just need to be creative.

6. Reciprocal Linking: This is where you will look for other sites that are similar to your [work at home sites, business sites, etc] and you will set up a link exchange. You put there link on your site, and they in turn put your link on their site. Be selective about which sites you put your link on. Most of the time, these sites will exchange links with you. This method of advertising can get you listed in major Search Engines and give you a good web site ranking. In my oponion this is by far, the best free method of advertising. 7. E-mail Signature: Install a "Signature" in your E-mail program. This method can help you get people to get in touch with you, and want to know more about your business. Most E-mail programs such as AOL, MSN, NETSCAPE and OUTLOOK, allow you to add a "Signature" line at the end of your out going e-mail messages. It should only be 6-8 lines. Company Name, Address, Phone Number, URL, e-mail address, and a small description. Look for examples on e-mail messages that have been sent to you.

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New Member

thanks for the sharing here. i currently have my direct sellng business but it's still available locally. there are reasons behind that. first, the freight is that high and i won't risk my products along the way. i also advertise some of them in some local forums that i joined so that i can attract local customers too.

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New Member

Like Makati mentioned, it's definitely worth engaging in social media marketing these days. It costs nothing to set up, and the potential for reward is only limited by how much time you can offer to engage with your target audience.
Isobel, agency:2

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New Member

An acquaintance of mine who changes "businesses" about as often as a teenager changes clothes recently sent me a postcard announcing his latest venture: Internet Business Consulting. He was, his announcement proclaimed, ready to help businesses set up Web pages to do business on the Internet.
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This was the individual's third business in two years. Previous ventures included selling advertising specialties and starting a niche-market magazine, neither of which were successful. Remarkably, this gentleman had only learned how to use a computer and modem a couple of months prior to sending out that mailing.

Whether this newly minted Internet consultant ever found customers, or knew enough to actually create a professional Web presence for anyone is a matter of speculation. What isn't speculation, however, is the hype surrounding the Internet. Big and small businesses alike are racing to the Web expecting it to be a low-cost, no-effort alternative to traditional advertising and marketing methods.

Not surprisingly, many are disappointed.

While a Web site lets you put information about your company and products where it can be found by millions of people, it's not the answer to every marketing problem.
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Potential customers aren't going to find your web site unless you tell them about it and give them a reason to want to visit the page. In other words, you have to market the Web site.

So what can you do to market your business at low cost? Here are 24 proven methods to help get your business off the ground without spending a fortune.

1) If you don't have a business card and business stationery, have them made up -- immediately. Your business card, letterhead and envelope tell prospective customers you are a professional who takes your business seriously.

2) Get your business card into as many hands as possible. Call your friends and relatives and tell them you have started a business. Visit them and leave a small stack of business cards to hand out to their friends.

3) Talk to all the vendors from whom you buy products or services. Give them your business card, and ask if they can use your products or service, or if they know anyone who can. If they have newsgroups where business cards are displayed (printers often do, and so do some supermarkets, hairdressers, etc.), ask if yours can be added to the board.

4) Attend meetings of professional groups, computer user groups and groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, or civic associations. Have business cards in a pocket where they are easily reachable. Every time you start to say "My name is," reach in your pocket for a business card. By the time you get to "I run a..." (type of business), your business card should be deposited in the hand of the person with whom you are speaking. Don't forget to ask what the people you speak with do, and to really listen to them. They'll be flattered by your interest, and better remember you because of it.

5) Become actively involved in 3 or 4 of these groups. That will give you more opportunity to meet possible prospects. But remember: opportunists are quickly spotted for what they are, and get little business. While you won't want to become involved in activities that require a lot of your time in very many organizations, you can -- and should -- make real contributions to all of them by offering useful ideas and help with small parts of one-time projects

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New Member

At some point many small business owners are left with no or a small amount of capital to promote their business. But many entrepreneurs utilize these free or low budget yet effective tactics to promote their business online and offline.

1. Print out flyers or business cards and take them to your local stores, banks, beauty shops etc.

2. Word of mouth never fails, so tell your friends to tell their friends.

3. Make a cookie, candy or fruit basket and take it to your local store with your business cards.

4. Exchange links with other sites.

5. Post your brochures business cards at your local bulletin board.

6. At a restaurant when tipping include your card.

7. Send a press release to your local newspaper.

8. Submit your site to search engines and directories.

9. Give out free samples, promotional products, e-books etc.

10. Write articles for others to use on their website and newsletter include your web site URL and a brief description of your services/products.

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Premium Member

Premium Member

Good tips there velsh, I especially like the tip to give your business card when tipping in a restaurant. It's also important to make everyone you know aware of what you do, you'd be surprised at who they might know, who is looking for something your business can provide. Another good idea is to include your business card or flyer with every bill you pay or cheque you send.

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Member

1.Classified Ads : There are plenty of classified ad directories on the internet where you can post ads for free, two such sites being Gumtree and Vivastreet.

2. Send out press releases : Many small businesses consider the prospect of getting press coverage unattainable. However, a good story submitted well has every chance of making the news, and best of all it’s free.

3. Start a blog : Starting a blog is an excellent way of engaging your existing audience as well as attracting new customers. However, blogs do take time and patience so only start one if you have the time to put into it.

4. Participate in relevant forums : Online forums are used and viewed by hundreds of people, and there’s almost always likely to be a couple of forums based around your industry. Participate in these forums through making relevant posts – many forums allow you to include a link to your company in your signature.

thank you for sharing this things ... getting your business name recognized in correct circles is one of the major hurdles a fledgling company is going to face, but with a small fore-thought and some shameless self-promotion it's not as hard to get noticed as you may think. happy promoting..!

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Member

Hi there, I own a car spare parts shop. I want it to promote my business through ads. I've been searching a list of website to post ads for free. But most of the sites that I've seen has a payment. was there any site that can promote your business or post an ads for free? A lot of directories and search engine site on the net for free. But how about posting ads for free? Any reply please. Thanks.

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